


you're enough

by kayytx



Series: ficlets from tumblr: ironing man & washing machine [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Comfort, Fluff, M/M, MIT Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-11
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-26 08:33:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17742539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayytx/pseuds/kayytx
Summary: When Tony's feeling down after a phone call with his dad, Rhodey's there to make him feel better.





	you're enough

**Author's Note:**

> so i'm starting to cross-post some of my ficlets/prompts/requests from tumblr, starting with my most recent one! this was based on [a post](http://rescueironman.tumblr.com/post/182684815189/tony-17-mit-freshman-date-me-rhodey-im-rich) from the lovely [@rescueironman](http://rescueironman.tumblr.com/) and i had a good time writing this little piece.

Tony bursts into Jim’s room and flops onto his bed, throwing out the request and taking Jim by surprise.

“Date me, Rhodey. I’m rich, handsome, and really smart. I’m a walking Hallmark card and your mama would love me. She already loves me. Please.”

“You’re underaged, annoying, failing calculus – who fails  _calculus_  at MIT, Tones? – and you haven’t done laundry in two weeks.” Jim starts to turn back to his textbook, but pauses when he catches Tony’s brittle smile morphing into a pout.

“You really think I’m annoying?”

Jim sighs, closing his textbook and giving Tony his full attention. “No, of course not. Okay, maybe a little bit, but not in a bad way.” He scratches at the back of his neck before he continues. “Sorry, I’m just stressed and sleep-deprived and trying to prepare for this midterm. What brought this on, Tones?”

“I…um. I just got off the phone with my dad.”

Well, that explains it.

“It was just the typical Howard Stark Is Disappointed In His Son conversation, nothing I haven’t heard before,” Tony continues, but with every word, his face falls even more. “He kept talking about how much of an idiot I am, how no one would ever love or want me, because I’m not enough. Nothing I do would ever be enough.”

“And what I said just now obviously didn’t help matters.” Jim feels awful. “I’m sorry. Your dad is wrong. You know that, right? Of course you’re enough.”

“Is he, though?” Tony wipes at his eyes, trying to stop the tears from falling. “You said it just now. I’m failing calculus. I’m a certified genius, but I’m failing calculus at MIT. The most basic course anyone could take at this school, and I’m failing it.”

“Only because you’re busy doing far more advanced engineering, and because you’re taking almost triple the regular course load this semester. If you  _weren’t_  doing poorly in at least one of your classes, I’d think you were bribing the school for good grades.”

A sniffled laugh bubbles out of Tony. “You know, I could still bribe them.”

“I know, but you wouldn’t. You’re a nerd and you love the work you’re doing too much to compromise your integrity like that.”

“I’m sorry for not doing laundry.”

Jim shrugs. “Like I said, you’ve been busy. Besides, I don’t mind when you borrow my clothes.”

“You don’t?”

“Nah. You look cute in them.”

A wide smiles blossoms across Tony’s cheeks and Jim’s heart feels full when he sees Tony light up.

“So you think I’m cute?”

Jim rolls his eyes. “I said what I said.”

Even as he sniffles a bit more, Tony’s smile doesn’t waver. “Thank you, platypus.”

“Anytime, Tones. And hey.” Jim taps Tony’s chin so he’s looking into his eyes. “You’re right, mama does love you. She’s been pestering me for a while now, asking when I’m going to get my act together and ask you out already.”

“Really?” Tony gasps, hope flickering behind his eyes.

“Yeah. I like you, Tony,” Jim confesses, heart hammering in his chest. “Of course I do. But like I said, you’re underaged. I’m 19. I can’t take advantage of you like that.”

“But if I wasn’t?”

“Then I’d date the hell out of you.”

“Okay. I can wait. I’d wait forever for you.” Tony nods and moves to get up, spirits lifted. “I’ll let you get back to studying. Good night, honeybear.”

With a kiss to Jim’s cheek, Tony turns to go back to his room on the other side of the suite.

“G’night, Tones,” Jim responds softly. He opens his textbook again, but doesn’t read a single word.

All Jim can focus on is the warmth that lingers from Tony’s lips and the smile threatening to overtake his face.

**Author's Note:**

> this has a post on [tumblr](http://kayytx.tumblr.com/post/182699093157) if you wanna reblog. that'd be cool :)


End file.
